Tuesday, 16 November 2010

Magie Deco Coffret IV

Magie Deco, which is the younger and more hip sister brand of Cosme Decorte, released its fourth annual holiday coffret on 1 November this year. Magie Deco's holiday coffrets are usually very popular and sell out in a flash in Japan. The counters in Osaka and Kyoto had already sold out of it when I was there in the first week of November so I was elated to discover it subsequently at Narita Airport dutyfree. The coffret's normal retail price in Japan is 6825yen (about S$108) but I paid only 5900yen at Narita Airport. The set does not include any pouch but I'm fine with that as I already have an excessive number of makeup pouches and clutch purses from previous makeup sets. The popularity of Magie Deco's holiday coffret is usually due to the exquisite packaging as well as the great value for money. This year's set contains a full size Shadow Brilliance R palette (5.5g), a Lipgloss R (7g), Loose Cheek R (4g) and Eye Gloss R (6g). Magie Deco's Shadow Brilliance palettes usually retail for 5775yen each while the Gem Drop eye glosses are 2310yen each. The cover design of the palette is more intricate and prettier than the palettes in the permanent range. As shown in the diagram below, A is the "Highlight and Base", B and C are the "Accent Colours", D is the "Shading Colour" and E is the "Nuance Colour". The order of application is from A to E. I would have preferred a palette with more vivid shades that provided greater contrast to one another but Japanese makeup coffrets are designed to be crowd pleasers and hence, the combinations are usually very "safe" and easy for most ladies to wear. The Eye Gloss R is virtually identical to Jill Stuart's Jelly Eye Colors but without the strong fruity floral Jill Stuart signature scent. The Magie Deco Eye Gloss does have a light floral scent but it's a lot more subtle than the Jill Stuart version. Both Jill Stuart and Magie Deco belong to the Kose group, so it's not surprising that the textures are very similar. The Eye Gloss has a water-based jelly texture that applies very smoothly, with sufficient time for blending before it sets to a non-greasy finish. If applied alone without any eyeshadow on top, it appears as a light wash of micro-sparkles that catch and reflect the light beautifully, but some ladies may find it unsuitable for a more conservative work environment. When the eyeshadows from the palette are applied over it, the micro-sparkles become much less obvious but there is still an illuminating effect. The loose blush powder is a feminine rose that is likely to suit most complexions. It is a velvety matte without any obvious shimmer. The cotton puff is cute but for better control, I still prefer to use a proper brush. A netted sifter is included to be placed between the puff and the blush powder. The lipgloss is a sheer glossy red with a sprinkling of tiny glitter bits. It gives just the barest tint to the lips and feels quite emollient on the lips. Here's the simple look that I did today with all the products in the coffret. On the eyes, I used the Eye Gloss as a base all over the lid, followed by the light pink shade ("E") from the inner corners to the middle of the lid, the rosy pink shade ("C") in the middle of the lid, the purple shade ("D") at the outer corners and along the lower lashline, and the pale yellowish white ("A") over the browbone area. Then I finished by lining the upper lashline with Heroine Make Smooth Liquid Liner and applying Visee Wide Long (Curl Impact) mascara. The combination of shades in the palette are probably quite easy to dupe with other brands but still, I liked the overall look. The eyeshadows felt very smooth and easy to blend. Like most Japanese brands, they are not crazily pigmented but instead, apply sheer and can be built up gradually. Used over the Eye Gloss, I was impressed to find at the end of my 14-hour work day that there was no creasing and minimal fading even at the inner corners! The eyeshadows also maintained their lovely glimmer without any fallout. Overall, the products in the coffret are certainly not the most unique of shades but nevertheless, I still find it a very attractive set. Given how difficult it is to snag a Magie Deco coffret at a reasonable price, this will probably be the only Magie Deco holiday coffret I'll ever own and I love it!